Legal Counsel

Legal CounselSunnyvale, CAThe future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout AI, we're developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and autonomous power across every domain. Fury enables human operators to command fleets of robots through natural language, and empowers those machines to sense, decide, and act together as one. This mission will ask everything of us: urgency, precision, and relentless work.The RoleWe are seeking to hire our first Legal Counsel to lead legal strategy related to government contracting, regulatory compliance, and operational safety. This role will help ensure our products, partnerships, and contracts meet federal requirements while enabling the company to move quickly and responsibly. You'll work closely with leadership, engineering, operations, and external partners to support government-facing programs and ensure compliance across the organization.ResponsibilitiesLead legal support for U.S. government contracting activitiesDraft, review, and negotiate contracts with federal agencies, primes, and subcontractorsAdvise the company on compliance with federal procurement rules and regulationsSupport regulatory strategy for AI, robotics, and safety-critical systemsDevelop and maintain internal compliance programs and policiesProvide guidance on export controls, security requirements, and data handlingPartner with engineering and product teams on safety, risk, and regulatory frameworksManage government audits, compliance reviews, and legal risk assessmentsCoordinate with outside counsel when necessaryHelp build scalable legal and compliance infrastructure as the company growsSupport immigration matters and global mobility as the team growsOversee insurance coverage, claims, and overall risk managementAdvise on employee and people-related matters, policies, and investigationsLead intellectual property strategy, filings, protection, and licensingNegotiate and manage vendor, supplier, and commercial agreementsSupport corporate governance, board matters, and entity managementAreas of FocusGovernment contracting such as Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Other Transaction Authority (OTA), and related U.S. Government contracting frameworksSubcontractor agreements with Prime suppliers to the U.S. GovernmentTechnology compliance and regulatory readiness in areas such as CMMC, Facility Clearance (FCL), and handling of TS/SCIInstituting proper guidelines and processes for product safety and operational risk, including being a part of developing the product safety case to be approved by proper government entitiesExport controls and national security regulationsResponsible AI deployment in regulated environmentsOther contract reviews such as teaming agreements and capital formation documentsQualificationsJ.D. from an accredited top-tier law school and active U.S. bar membershipExperience with government contracting law and federal procurementStrong understanding of FAR, DFARS, or related regulationsExperience advising technology companies or startups is a plusExperience negotiating contracts with government agencies or primeExperience with defense, aerospace, robotics, self-driving, or other related AI companiesFamiliarity with safety-critical systems or regulatory frameworks related to emerging technologiesExperience with export controls (ITAR/EAR)Experience building compliance programs at a startup or scaling companyMust be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilitiesPassion about defense of the United States and its alliesMay be expected to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearanceWhy Join ScoutWork on the world's most important frontier, ensuring U.S. and allied dominance in the age of intelligent machinesBe a core part of a team building the first defense-specific robotic foundation modelCollaborate with some of the top engineers in autonomy, AI, and national securitySee your work deployed on real systemsHelp define the future of intelligent defense systemsBacked by Draper Associates, Booz Allen Ventures, PerotJain and other top investorsBenefitsCompetitive compensation package including base salary and bonusMeaningful equityPremium medical, dental, and vision plans with $0 paycheck contributionCompetitive PTO and company holiday calendarCatered lunch daily and fully stocked kitchenEV chargingRelocation assistance (depending on role eligibility)The stated salary range below represents an estimated base pay only and reflects consideration of multiple compensation factors. Final salary offers may differ depending on factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience or training background, specialized skills, and business needs. Most full-time positions also include highly competitive equity awards, which form part of Scout AI's overall compensation package. In addition, Scout AI provides comprehensive, top-tier benefits to full-time employees.US Salary Range$190,000 - $255,000 USD